Death Toll Rises to Three in Philippine Building Collapse; Rescue Efforts Continue

Rescuers in the Philippines have pulled two individuals from the rubble of a collapsed building under construction, but tragically, both later died. This brings the confirmed death toll to three as search and rescue efforts continue in Angeles City, north of the capital, Manila.

Overnight thermal scans detected signs of life beneath the debris, fueling hopes of finding survivors. However, one of the retrieved victims had a pulse upon extraction but succumbed to their injuries shortly after. The other suffered cardiac arrest while still trapped within the collapsed structure. Officials confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the multi-storey building's collapse is now underway.

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One of the two victims had a pulse when he was retrieved, but later died, while another suffered cardiac arrest while still trapped.

Crews are diligently working to retrieve another body believed to be buried under the debris. This victim will be officially added to the toll once recovered. Authorities caution that there could be more individuals trapped, as the thermal scans indicated further signs of breathing and heartbeats. Currently, 17 people are reported missing, the majority of whom are construction workers listed as being on duty at the time of the incident.

Among the deceased is a 65-year-old Malaysian national whose body was recovered on Sunday. His remains were found in a neighboring hotel building that was also impacted by the structural failure. The ongoing operation highlights the critical nature of the situation as rescue teams race against time to locate any potential survivors.

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There could be more victims trapped, after thermal scans detected signs of breathing and heartbeats beneath the rubble.